This summer, there have been reports from around the country about dogs dying in hot cars.

It's been a fairly cool summer in our area, with only a few days that had temperatures over 90 degrees. A study from Stanford University shows that even on comparatively cool days, such as 72 degrees, a car's internal temperature can rocket to 116 degrees within 60 minutes. And keeping the windows open a crack hardly slows the rise at all.

I've seen dogs left in cars in parking lots of grocery stores, convenience stores and shopping centers. Obviously, these people bring their dogs because they love them, but just as obviously, they don't realize how dangerous it is to leave pets in their cars.

I've gone into the stores to have the pet owners paged and, in every case, the owners acted as if I had accused them of a crime. Well, the fact is, in New Jersey, it is a crime to leave a dog in a hot car. The criminal charge is "leav(ing) it unattended in a vehicle under inhumane conditions adverse to the health or welfare of the living animal or creature." There is also a civil charge.

I've always been polite and tried to explain why I'm concerned, but in every case I've been told to mind my own business. At that point, I always pull out my phone and take a photo of their license plate and start to dial 911.

So here's the bottom line. If you love your dog, leave him at home while you go shopping. In 15 minutes your dog can be in serious trouble even if you leave your windows cracked. And if you do leave your dog in your car even for a few minutes, don't be surprised if the police have arrived and smashed your window to save your dog's life.